John Goodman says his body is “messed up” after losing 200 pounds.
The 74-year-old actor made the blunt admission while explaining why he refused to do a nude scene on HBO’s “The Righteous Gemstones.” Goodman, who appeared on the series from 2019 to 2025, recounted his reaction when he thought the role would require him to strip down. “I thought I was going to have to be naked. I said, ‘No. I’m good. My body is too messed up from losing all this weight,'” he told Josh Horowitz on Monday’s episode of the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast.
Goodman has been open about the mental adjustment that comes with such a dramatic physical change. He told Horowitz he is “still trying to get used to my face” after shedding the weight. “It’s weird,” he said. “I think of myself as one way, and then I look at myself [and think], ‘Oh, wow.'” He added, “It’s strange. It’s fun to get used to. That’s a lot of stuff I’m getting used to.”
The “Roseanne” alum weighed roughly 400 pounds at his heaviest and has detailed his transformation in recent years. He hired a personal trainer, eliminated sugar from his diet, and began exercising six days a week. In a 2010 interview, he reflected on his heavier years with regret. “I know it sounds sappy, but it was a waste,” he said. “It takes a lot of creative energy to sit on your ass and figure out what you’re going to eat next,” He added, “I wanted to live life better.”
Despite the physical benefits, Goodman told the Sunday Times he still hasn’t fully adapted to his new body. “I still feel like a fat guy, but it’s nice to be able to go into regular clothing stores and buy things,” he shared. He also admitted he “has to force” himself to go to the gym, adding, “If it was just me, I’d skip it.”
Goodman has mixed feelings about the public conversation surrounding his weight. On the podcast, he said he chooses to “ignore” much of it, though he accepts some scrutiny comes with the territory. “Since I’m in this business, it is fair game — up to a point,” he noted.
The actor also believes his size affected his career trajectory, and not always because of outside judgment. “I’m sure it did. And a lot of it I think might have been self-sabotage,” he told Horowitz. Goodman recalled that when he first broke into the industry, he weighed about 225 pounds and stayed fit by running outside in New York City daily. “I was working enough as I was,” he said. “I wasn’t crazy about it, but I wonder if I probably sabotaged myself.”
Goodman has put his transformed figure on display at recent Hollywood events. He appeared noticeably slimmer at the Los Angeles premiere of “Smurfs” last year, and he stepped out again in a black suit with a striped shirt and gray tie for the “Digger” premiere this past September.
The “Conners” star’s weight-loss journey began in earnest over a decade ago and has remained a defining thread in his public narrative. While he has embraced the practical perks of his new frame, the psychological recalibration continues. His candor about the messy, complicated reality of living in a changed body offers a rare counterpoint to the typically celebratory tone of celebrity transformation stories.
Goodman is set to continue his press commitments for “Digger” with additional appearances.
